Driver Changes

After winning the Drivers World Championship, Nico Rosberg announced his retirement from the sport. Lewis Hamilton will be joined at Mercedes by Valterri Bottas, who drove for Williams in 2016.

Red Bull and Ferrari will keep the same driver line-up from 2016 with Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen at Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari.

Felipe Massa announced his retirement from F1 at the Italian GP so Williams decided to sign newcomer Lance Stroll. When Rosberg announced his retirement, there was a lot of speculation that Bottas would take his place. Bottas joined Mercedes with Massa pushing his retirement back a year to partner Stroll for 2017.

Force India will keep Sergio Perez for the 4th year alongside Esteban Ocon, who is replacing Nico Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg has moved to Renault and Ocon has come from Manor.

Jenson Button also announced his retirement at the Italian GP and he is replaced by Stoffel Vandoorne at McLaren. Vandoorne, filled in for Fernando Alonso at the Bahrain GP and he finished in 10th place. Alonso and Vandoorne will complete McLaren’s line-up. Alonso will miss the Monaco GP to race in the Indy 500. Button will return for that GP weekend.

Renault have kept Jolyon Palmer and have signed Nico Hulkenberg from Force India to replace Magnussen. Sauber replace Felipe Nasr with Pascal Wehrlein to partner Marcus Ericsson. Antonio Giovinazzi replaced Wehrlein for the first two opening rounds as the German was unfit due to a crash at the Race of Champions.

Driver Changes

For the Malaysian GP, Toro Rosso announced that Pierre Gasly would replace Daniil Kvyat for that race.

For the Japanese GP, Renault confirmed that Carlos Sainz would replace Jolyon Palmer from the American GP onwards.

For the American GP, Toro Rosso confirmed that Brendon Hartley would partner the returning Kvyat for that race. Gasly will be competing in the Super Formula finale in Japan instead.